Textile machinery



ov. 5, 1935. J. JABOULEY ET AL 2,019,508

TEXT ILE MACHINERY LWN A-Hofxesgb Nov. 5, i935. J. JABOULEY Er AL TEXTILE MACHINERY Filed May 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TEXTILE MACHINERY Application May 22, 1934, Serial No. 726,932 In Great Britain May 25, 1933 11 Claims.

This invention relates to textile machinery, and in particular to circular looms, the object of the invention being to provide means for bringing weaving to an end in the event of weft breakage.

U. S. Patent No. 1,822,292 and U. S. application S. No. 655,560 filed 7th February, 1933 describe the provision in a circular loom in which progressive shedding takes place in advance of the shuttle of means by which weaving is brought to an end when the breakage of a warp-end or faulty shedding causes a warp jam to take place, such means comprising a feeler on the front ofl the shuttle adapted to be pressed back by the jammed warps and to actuate clutch mechanism, so that the relative motion between the shuttle and the Warps ceases. Thus, for example, the shuttle may be supported in a stationary manner within a shed formed by rotating Warps, and When warp failure takes place the shuttle may be caused to rotate with the warps, instead of stretching or breaking the warps against which it presses. In this way the risk of considerable damage to the warps is much lessened.

Since in such circular looms the shuttle remains enclosed between the two sheets into which the warp threads are divided, the detection of weft breakage and the actuation of stop mechanism on such breakage give rise to some considerable difficulty. It is, however, important that weaving should be brought t-o an end as soon as such failure arises, as well as at warp breakage or jamming, since otherwise the loom would continue in operation. Further, though weft in one shuttle might fail, weaving would not stop at other shuttles in the loom, and the fabric pro-duced would be useless because of the omssion of the one weft thread.

The present invention enables such failure of weft thread to be detected and Weaving to be brought quickly to an end so that the loom does not continue to weave faulty fabric. According to the invention there is used a feeler which is normally held inoperative by a weft thread, but when that thread breaks is urged into the warp threads and by preventing change of shed of the warp threads causes a jam to actuate a stopmechanism, which may conveniently be a warpstop mechanism of the type above described.

In its simplest form the feeler consists of a member having a hook or eye for engagement by the weft thread, and a rearwardly extending portion adapted to be engaged by the sheets of warps at the rear of the shuttle as these converge to change the shed after the shuttle. Owing to the contact of these sheets of warps with the rearward extension of the feeler and the relative motion between the warps and the feeler, there is a tendency for the feeler to be drawn rearwardly of the shuttle, a tendency which is overcome by the weft thread passing through the hook or eye on the feeler. Immediately, therefore, that a weft thread breaks, the Afeeler is drawn away from 'the shuttle by fthe warp threads engaging it, and effectively prevents these warp threads changing shed. The resulting jam is encountered by the warp feeler on thenext succeeding shuttle and so actuates the Awarp-stop mechanism.

In such simple form the feeler may be quite separate from the shuttle, since the warp threads engaging it hold-it in operative position at the rear-cf the shuttle. However, in order to ensure that the feeler is always used and, moreover, that there 'is no danger of a feeler becoming detached and woven into the fabric, it is preferred to carry the -feeler on the shuttle itself. Thus, for exam- 20 ple, the shuttle `may carry means which slidingly support the feeler so that itis quite free to move rearwardly under the pull of the warps when the weft thread breaks, or should the weft thread not be threaded 'through the hook or eye when weaving commences. A convenient form of sliding supportconsists of a tube mounted Ion the shuttle body forwardly of the hook or eye so as to receive forward extension of 'the feeler. Such tube may be slotted to provide means for limiting the rearward motion of 'the fe'eler, thereby preventing its complete detachment from the shuttle.

A hook is preferred a's'the weft-engaging device on the feeler, since it permits ready application of the feeler to the weft without the threading 35 which is necessary if `an eye is used.

Some forms of apparatus according to the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shuttle equipped with one type of weft feeler according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rear end of a similar shuttle equipped with a different form of weft feeler;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the weft feeler shown in Fig. 1 in larger scale;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken along line 5 5 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and '7 are diagrammatic sectional illustrations showing the disposition of the warp threads during normal shedding, and after the operation of the weft feeler, respectively, while Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic plan views showing the operation of the weft feeler shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the shuttle comprises a lower portion I2 which is separated by a platform I3 from an upper portion I4 along the upper extremity of which fits a further platform I5. A sensitive warp feeling member I6 provided with side Wings I8 is pivotally hung at I9 to the upper platform I and propels a rod 20 (shown in dotted line in Fig. 1 and in full line in Fig. 2) rearwardly on encountering broken or jammed warp threads, in the manner explained in detail in U. S. application S. No. 655,561, filed 7th February, 1933.

A attened tube 2| fixed above the level of the platform I3 by supports 22, 23 freely houses a light flexible feeler-strip 24 which extends rearwardly from the tube 2| and over the end of the shuttle where the rear end of the feeler is engaged between the opposing sheets of warp threads A, B (see Fig. 8) .as these converge to change the shed behind the shuttle. The flexibility of the feeler 24 allows it readily to conform to the curvature of the shed.

Owing to the contact of the sheets of warp threads A, B with the rear end of the feeler 24, and the relative motion between the warps and the feeler, there is a tendency for the feeler to be urged rearwardly away from the shuttle. This tendency is resisted by the weft thread 25 which,

while progressing from the weft-spool 26 to the fell of the fabric 21, is engaged by a hook 28 formed in the feeler 24, the weft being guided through the hook 28 by guides 29, 38, which are attached to the rear end of the tube 2l. So long as the weft thread 25 remains unbroken the feeler 24 is restrained thereby against rearward motion and is retained within the tube 2|, the rear end of the feeler not extending so far from the shuttle as to prevent the warp sheets A and B forming a new shed for the next succeeding shuttle. Immediately the weft thread 25 breaks, however, the feeler 24 is drawn outwardly from the tube 2| by its contact with the relatively moving warp threads and effectively prevents shedding of the warp threads,

The result of the outward motion of the feeler 24 will now be described with reference to Figs. 6-10. Referring more particularly to Fig. 8, it will be seen that to the front, and to one side of, each shuttle 30 or 3|, a warp shedding wheel 32 is disposed so as to press laterally against the sheet of warp threads A, B approaching each shuttle. The warp threads A pass between reed-dents 33 V(Figs. 6 and '7) and the threads B through the eyes of the dents so that when Ythe sheet is pressed laterally above the reed by the wheel 32 the threads A are free to move between the dents while the threads B are held by the eyes, thereby forming below the dents a shed which is widened to the requisite degree by the entry of the shuttle itself. For more detailed particulars of the warp shedding operation see U. S. application S. No. 655,560.

It will thus be seen that so long as the warp threads A, B are free to separate from each other a warp shed is formed freely in advance of each shuttle, and the feeler I6 and feeler wings I8 meet with no obstruction. On breakage of the weft, and consequent freeing of the feeler 24, however, the feeler is carried rearwardly from the normal position shown in Fig. 8, past the position shown in Fig. 9 and. almost to the nose of the next succeeding shuttle 3| as shown in Fig'. 10, when it prevents the warp threads A, B shedding. As the threads A, B cannot form a new shed, they become jammed in front of the feeler I6, continued relative motion between the warps and the shuttles causing the jam to push the feeler back on its shuttle 3|, and causing the rod 2|) to move rearwardly. The rod 20 penetrates the warp sheet A at the side of the shuttle and strikes a catch 34 which releases a latch 35 which,

in turn, operates to stop the weaving operation,

preferably in the manner described in U. S. application S. No. 655,560.

The feeler 24 is prevented from leaving the tube 2| completely by an outstanding pin 38 which slides in a slot 3'I (see Fig 3) formed in the side of the tube. The length of the slot is such that the feeler 24 can extend rearwardly from the shuttle sufficiently to prevent the shedding operation. For convenience of illustration the warp threads A, B are shown large and widely' spaced; nner and more closely-spaced threadswill, of course, operate in the same manner. Sim-` ilarly, the hook 28 of the feeler 24 is shown as eX- tending outwardly therefrom in Figs. 8-10, but, as Figs. 1 and 3 show, the hook lies in the plane of the feeler so as'not to catch the warp threads.

If desired, the feeler may be independent of the shuttle and any loop or hooked strip normally engaged by the weft thread and in contact with the relatively moving warps would be effective to cause warp jamming on weft failure. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, a hairpin-like loop 38 positioned above the rear end of the platform |3 and independent of the shuttle, is held against rearward motion under the influence of the warp threads (not shown) by the weft thread 25, which passes through the bight of the loop. The loop 38 is thus supported in its horizontal position by its engagement between the warp threads and with the weft. On breakage of the weft 25 the loop 38 is freed and is carried rearwardly by the warp threads until jamming and consequent operation of the warp feeler on the succeeding shuttle stops the loom. For convenience in reclaiming the feeler after correction of the weft failure, and to prevent the feeler being Woven accidentally into the fabric, the feeler is secured by a very ne chain or cord 39 to the upper platform I5 of the shuttle. The attachment of the loose feeler to the shuttle ensures, moreover, that the feeler must be replaced in operative position before Weaving can continue.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In weaving on a circular loom, bring-ing weaving to an end on weft-failure by causing the weft failure to bring about a warp-jam, detecting said jam, and effecting automatic actuation of a stop mechanism by the detection of the jam.

2. Circular loom comprising a weft-stop mechanism including a feeler adapted to be engaged by the weft and restrained thereby during normal laying of the weft but otherwise freed from restraint, said feeler being so disposed that when freed it prevents shedding o-f the warps and causes a jam therein, a member adapted to be engaged by the jammed warps, said member being adapted to lcooperate with a stop motion device to bring to an end relative motion between the warps and the weft-inserting means.

3. Circular loom comprising a weft-stop mechanism including a feeler adapted toI be engaged by the weft being supplied from a shuttle, said feeler extending rearwardly from said shuttle so as to be engaged between the two sheets of warp threads behind the shuttle and to be urged by Said warp threads rearwardly away from the shuttle, the feeler being restrained by the weft against such urge during normal laying of the weft, but'when freed causing a jamming of the warp threads by preventing re-shedding thereof, a member adapted to be engaged by the jammed warps, said member being adapted to cooperate with a stop motion device to bring to an end relative mo-tion between the warps and the weit-inserting means.

4. Circular loom according to claim 3, comprising as a feeler a member independent of the shuttle and provided with means to engage the weft, said feeler being adapted to be supported by its engagement between the two sheets of warp threads and by its engagement with the weft.

5. Circular loom according to claim 3, comprising means on the shuttle adapted to support the eeler, said means being adapted to permit movement of the feeler, when freed, under the urge of the warp threads, and means to limit the extent of movement of the feeler with respect to the shuttle.

6. Circular loom according to claim 3, comprising a tubular guide carried by and extending lengthwise of the shuttle, a feeler freely housed within said guide and extending rearwardly thereof, means on said feeler to engage the weft, and a pin-and-slot connection between the feeler and the guide to limit the extent of motion of the feeler with respect to the guide.

'7. Circular loom according to claim 3, wherein the part of the feeler engaged by the warps is flexible and of flat cross-section.

8. Circular loom according to claim 3, comprising a guide formed as a attened tube car- 5 ried by and extending lengthwise of the shuttle,

a feeler of flat cross-section housed freely and arranged edge uppermost within said guide and extending rearwardly thereof, means on said feeler to engage the weft, and a pin projecting from one side of said feeler adapted to co-act with a slot formed in said guide so as to limit the extent of movement of the feeler with respect to the guide.

9. For a circular loom provided with stopmechanism adapted upon jamming of the warps to bring to an end relative motion between the shuttle or shuttles and the warps, a shuttle provided with a feeler adapted to be engaged and restrained by the weft, and a tube adapted to house said feeler freely so as to allo-w of a free rearward movement of the feeler on failure of the weft, while guiding said feeler in its rearward movement.

10. A shuttle according to claim 9, wherein the tube is iattened, and the feeler is of thin, flat cross-section and is freely housed edge uppermost within said tube.

1l. A shuttle according to claim 9, wherein the feeler is of thin, flat cross-section and has formed therein a hook at a point along its length for engagement of the weft thread.

JOANNY JABOULEY.

ROBERT YEADON. 

